FEIN Turbo III Wet/Dry Dust Extractor (92026)

There are shop vacuums, and then there is the FEIN Turbo III Wet/Dry Dust Extractor (92026). The Turbo III has a number of features that distinguish it from standard shop vacuums. It also has an enviable reputation within the woodworking industry as one of the best dust extractors on the market.

There are three components to the Turbo III: the power head, filter, and tank. The unit as a whole stands about 26-3/4" high, and has an approximately 17" square footprint. It doesn't take up a lot of precious floor space, and at only 36 pounds, is quite easy to transport to and from a job site. There is a sturdy carry handle on the top of the power head that makes for easy lifting.

That bright orange tank is made from an impact resistant injection moulded plastic that is nearly indestructible. It can hold 15 gallons of dust and debris, or up to 12 gallons of liquid. On the bottom of the tank are six swivel wheels that give it superb manoeuvrability and help prevent it being knocked over or hung up on debris. The wheels aren't lockable, which I haven't seen a need for. Down there you'll also find a water release valve with a protective security cap. I haven't had occasion to use the Turbo III on liquids; if you do, remember to remove the filter beforehand. Around the base of the tank is a black rubber band; it adds a bit of protection when the tank bumps up against objects in the shop. Just below the top rim of the tank is the hose port. There is a small button on the port that secures the hose to the tank. Finally, two steel locking clamps hold the power head onto the tank.

Swivel wheels add stability

Water release valve

In between the power head and the tank is a stout 5 micron cloth filter. This provides adequate filtration for shops that don't generate a lot of fine dust. However, if you regularly sand sanding wood, drywall, or composite material, then you might want to upgrade to either the 1 micron cartridge filter (TIIMCRN, $96) or .3 micron HEPA cartridge filter (TIIHEPA, $119.90). The 5 micron cloth filter is really easy to clean. I place the filter in a large garbage bag, and then vigorously thwack it; alternately you could simply brush the dust off the filter.

Steel locking clamps

Dust port for 2-1/4" hose

The power head holds a 9.5 amp motor that generates an impressive 126 cubic feet of air flow per minute with a striking 99 inches of static water lift. What this means, in practical terms, is an outstanding ability to suck up dust. It also features dual fans that serve to cool the motor. The control panel houses a selector switch, socket (with a flip down cover), and suction control switch. The selector switch has three settings: on, off and automatic (auto start mode). The on and off setting work the same way as on any power tool. The only time I use either of these setting is when I'm using the Turbo III to clean up the shop floor. Most of the time I use the auto start mode. In auto mode the extractor starts when a tool plugged into the socket is turned on. You can use any 15 amp tool with the Turbo III. It's a great time saving feature. The auto mode also features a delayed shut-off. When you turn the tool off, the Turbo III will continue to run for about 10 seconds to clean the hose.

5 micron cloth filter

Control panel: suction control (L); socket (C); and selector switch (R)

The suction control switch allows you to increase or decrease suction. There may be situations when you might want to reduce suction; for example when sanding drywall too much suction makes it hard to move the sander across the wall. For dust collection at my router table, band saw, or drill press, I leave the suction control at its maximum setting. Most of the time the Turbo III is connected to my router table. I use the router quite a bit, and it generates a lot of chips, though little fine dust. The Turbo III does an excellent job of removing most of the chips from the table.

Cord wrap

Carry handle

The Turbo III comes with a wonderfully long 16' flexible power cord, and a generous 10' flexible dust hose. There is a recess at the top of the extractor where you can wrap up the length of power cord you don't need, rather than having it strewn about. There is a 2-1/4" to 1-1/4" adapter so you can connect the Turbo III to tools with a smaller dust port. Unfortunately it doesn't come with any extension tubes or a floor brushes. These, and other accessories are available separately from Fein.

If you work in a small shop, as I do, you'll love the 57.8 decibel rating on the Turbo III. It's arguably the quietest dust extractor on the market; it's certainly one of the quietest power tools in my shop.

At $520 this is not an inexpensive dust extractor. What you do get is a very quiet, powerful dust extractor with a convenient and time saving auto start feature.

Reviewed June 2010